Peter Black is considered to be a saint. He’s the CEO of a respectable investment firm and a generous philanthropist. But Peter is no saint. He’s a violent manipulator, hiding behind a mask of professionalism.
Peter grew up in foster care with this twin brother, John. They inherited different traits from their abusive, alcoholic father. Peter is a violent sociopath. John is an alcoholic down and out, but a pacifist.
When Peter dies in a car crash, John snatches the opportunity to get a better life. He becomes Saint Peter.
Overcoming addiction, acting a new persona, and battling remorse, John struggles to conceal his true identity from the enchanting, empathetic Cassandra Rose. When cocaine snorting property developer, Ray Woods, wants to scam the government out of millions, John discovers that nothing is what it appears.
As close colleagues expect him to be cold-bloodied killer, and someone discovers his secret, the stakes rise at every turn.
Is John shrewd enough to play the role of Saint Peter?
This is a short ,fast paced thriller with a cast of strong characters and an exciting story line. The author brings suspense and humor ,throws in a few twists and takes you on an adventure you won't want to miss. The story moves quickly and smoothly with a great dialogue and perfectly painted scenes. Loved it!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
BECOMING SAINT PETER, pulling in the reigns. Brought to decision, there's something to gain.
Seems so spectacular, but not what appears. Choice to make, there's nothing to fear.
Who to trust, is the question here. Makes a move, and goes from there.
We follow along, see where it's headed. Needs enemy list, whose capabilities are dreaded?
Learning as proceed, holding back the punches. Sometimes just need, to follow your hunches.
Until time arrives, when all plans finalized. This story continues, will anyone be penalized?
Every page is, worth time I spend. Going read it, to the very end!
**************************************************** I received free, via a free ebook promo and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ****************************************************
Once I threw away the crazy, unbelievable premise of the book I enjoyed it immensely!
A fun introduction to a new series and author for me.
Twin brothers of an abusive father who kills their mother grow up to live completely different lives. One successful and wealthy with his own business, the other a street brawling/drinking/thieving Glaswegian. (Obviously, they're both Glaswegian but anyway..)
In the blink of an eye one is dead and the other assumes his identity.
A fun read and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and I am giving you my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is a great book - one believe is the first in a series. Focuses on two young men who are identical twins. They were raised as orphans, went they were fostered out of the care system they went two different ways - one a philanthropist and o into drugs and alcohol - then one dies - and I will let you read the story for the rest- but this is a great story line and the author has taken her time to put pen to paper - the writing is artfully created with many twist and turns to her dialogue - "are they really meaning what they are saying?" I will leave it up to you to dig out all the little tricks and crevices.
This is the first book by this author that I've had the opportunity to read & I certainly plan on continuing. It begins with the life of a troubled young man, an addict of betting and booze, who gets in over his head. He reluctantly realizes that he needs an escape and so contacts his wealthy, successful, twin brother. It doesn't take long for his life to change and then evolve into something he'd never anticipated. Trust me, you, the reader, will be just as surprised ;-)
Becoming Saint Peter, #1 - Well written, well thought out story lines with good characters and good dialogues. I did not put the book down until the last page and then started Saint Peter's Remorse. 5*
Saint Peter's Remorse, #1, 2 & 3 - Cliffhanger. Intense. Interesting. Hard to put down. Good characters and good story lines. Well thought-out and well written. 5*
Saint Peter's Remorse: Absolution, #4 - Picks up where Remorse part 3 ended. Surprises for John that have good and bad effects for him and Janis Angelica. Hard to put down. Good characters and good story lines. Well thought-out and well written. 5*
Revealing Saint Peter. #3 - Interesting. Intense. Well written with a good blending of the old and new story lines. Add in the characters that you either hate, love or pity, the book is difficult to put down until the last page is read. 5*
Saint Peter's Nemesis, #4 - Interesting continuation of this series. I missed the book before Nemesis but it did not make a difference. Luckily, Hamish does not regurgitate the previous books but gave enough of a glimpse to understand those events. Good story lines. Read the previous books in order for the best entertainment. 4*
Box of Frogs - Deleted expanded scene from Saint Peter's Nemesis, concerning Cass and Lexi and a deal they made. 5*
Saint Peter and the Italian Connection, #5 - Rather intriguing and definitely interesting combination kept me reading until the last page. Ya gotta hand it to the baddies, the plans were well orchestrated. It was continuously, "Well, Pete, whatcha gonna do now?" This is my favorite book after Becoming Saint Peter. With all the difficulties, there was no vulgar or even mild profanity, which I appreciated, and hardly any violence, graphic or otherwise. There were several "Yer Honor, he needed killin'." moments through out the book, but Peter stuck to his guns. Don't let my Texas colloquialisms confuse you, I'm trying not to go full book report since The Italian Connection is a well written and entertaining read. You need to reading it without some dimwit telling you everything. 5*
In all honesty, I have to confess that I’m not a big fan of English mysteries. They are very dry reading. Dry to the point of being boring. Too much talk and not enough action for a reader like me who thrives on nonstop action. Never-the-less, I received Becoming Saint Peter by Hamish Hudson as part of a promotional book bundle from an American author I know whose books I love, so I felt compelled to read and review it. Boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise. Becoming Saint Peter was definitely an English mystery. What it wasn’t was dry and boring. Becoming Saint Peter is a page-burner, a nonstop, roller-coaster thrill ride from the first page until the last page.
The story is about twin brother, Peter and John Black, who grow in foster homes after their dad kills their mother and then takes his own life. John becomes involved with a street gang and with more gambling debts than he can pay off. Although he and his brother had been out of touch for years, John turns to him for help. John thinks that Peter has become rich as a legitimate businessperson, but, in fact, heads up a powerful criminal enterprise.
After Peter crashes their car on their way to a business meeting and dies in the crash, Peter assumes his identity, thinking that he would have the life he dreamed of, a life free from criminal activity. Much to his chagrin, he rapidly finds himself being sucked deeper and deeper into the criminal lifestyle. He soon finds himself embroiled in an elaborate scam to defraud the British government of millions of dollars. Much to his surprise, he finds he has become his brother in thought and action. How does he manage to pull off this daring scam while eliminating all the obstacles in his path had me sing over and over again, “Boy! I didn’t see that coming.” the way this book ended blew me away. What happened... well, yo0u’ll have to read the book for yourself to find. All I’m going to say here is that I can’t wait to read book 2 in this promising new series: Saint Peter’s Remorse.
"Becoming Saint Peter: A British Mystery About An Imposter" is Book 1 in the Saint Peter Black Mystery Thrillers, written by Hamish Hudson. This book was about an abused and murdered mother, the abusive husband who murdered his wife and then committed suicide, and a pair if twelve I year-old twin boys who grew up in foster care and who became two totally different people in their adult lives. John and Peter Black are identical twins, except for a minor difference in their fingerprints. They were both raised in a poor society, going from one foster home to another. Peter was abusive just like his father, even before his father murdered his wife and then killed himself. Peter was constantly bullying and beating the living daylights out of his weaker brother, John. This went on from early childhood, all the way up until Peter died in a car crash. He had been driving and beating up John at the same time, when the car overturned, leaving John alive and eventually killing Peter. John was running from drug dealing distributors who were out to kill him. He was a drunken sod until his brother got him sober, but Peter continuously abused John, physically and emotionally. So what should John do? Well, he became his brother, feigning amnesia because of the bump on his head and his identical likeness to his brother. John became Saint Peter Black, a man known for his philanthropic works and charity. However, what John didn't know was that his brother was also into identity theft himself, and had killed several people who had crossed him. What will the new Saint Peter do so that those around him won't know who he really is. I gave this book 5 stars.
Never do well takes over his brothers' business under extenuating circumstances - 4 stars
Twin brothers, Peter and John, were raised in Scotland by an abusive father and a doting mother. After their mother died, the boys were passed along until no one could take them. The boys drifted apart, each under the influence of different unsavory characters.
The story begins when John's life is threatened after John lost his criminal boss's stash of drugs without getting payment. John contacts his brother Peter who arranges alcohol rehabilitation treatment in Liverpool. Peter has a mansion, nice cars, and considerable wealth. Peter allows John to live in the garage and to drive him around until the time is right for John to do a special job.
The circumstances change when Peter has an automobile accident. John decides to make use of the fact that he was an identical twin to take over Peter's identity. John's business as a boutique investment company makes assuming his brother's identity a little different. In the ensuing weeks following the identity swap, John, now Peter, learns the ropes of investment banking and becomes a better businessman than his brother.
You will learn that Peter's investment business has a very special clientele - people who need the services of a money launderer. Twin fears of being found out and of being caught are played extremely well. John's experience of life on the streets has never been more useful. Enjoy.
This is the first book in a series about the surviving brother, John, who takes on the persona of his twin Peter, when Peter is killed in a car crash. Both boys were raised in foster care. One, Peter, became a millionaire businessman who exposed and exploited weaknesses in anyone he met. He enjoyed inflicting pain on others but was shrewd, picking fights he knew he could win and his brother John was often on the receiving end. John by contrast when he becomes Peter, is a Saint but at the same time running Janus Angelica, the company his brother founded, becomes "the devil's own banker to the criminal underworld". I did like the one analogy of a horrible character to a frog🐸 . Frogs symbolize greed because they want to live on land as well as water. Not my usual genre, I did appreciate the pace, to the point of telling the story 4 stars
Just when you get stuck in and think you know what’s happening and where things are going, there’s a twist and you find out a bit more about the character and his brother, and ‘Saint Peter’ turns out to not be such a saint! I felt like I really connected with the characters and I was feeling the same apprehensions as John as he learns more about who his brother actually was, and what he might have to do in order to keep up the pretence of being Peter. The only disappointment I felt was when I really felt like I was totally hooked down couldn’t put it down, it was the end of the book 😂 and now I have to wait until August for the next book!
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Hamish Hudson has a real talent for portraying his characters in such a way that you can really empathize with them. John is quickly learning that his brother Peter was no saint. In fact, he was a sociopath with violent tendencies. Cassandra seems to be the only one who suspected he was not who he seemed but by not resorting to violence, John wins her over.
If you are after a story that gets right to the 'meat', then Becoming Saint Peter is the book for you. Not only is the pace such that you will keep turning the pages, there is also enough back story to help you better understand the brothers' personas. Happy reading. Annemarie
Abused as a child and bullied by his twin even after they are orphaned John Black drifts into petty crime and incipient alcoholism. He is 'rescued' by his brother 'Saint' Peter, who has managed to escape his roots and is now the CEO of a successful company. Peter has some shady deal he wishes to carry out with John's assistance - but on the way to the deal he crashes his car. John seizes his chance and allows his seriously injured brother to die, assuming his identity. Feigning amnesia he manages to almost completely bluff his way into convincing his staff he is in fact Peter - but discovers that the respectable Saint Peter is but...
First of a series this is an engaging, if slightly farfetched story - and worth following the next books.
This was a quick read ( for me several hours spread over a few days ). The characters are well described physically, their personalities and with enough background information. The scenes are, both countryside and urban, described well. The story progresses quickly, picking up pace while adding characters and thickening the plot.
I was never bored or left wondering what was going on. The old saying "Less is More" is true here. But you will never feel that you are missing anything. Or, that the book is lacking. I am very pleased that I have found this author. I plan to read the rest of the series and any other books he writes
Peter and John grow up in foster care when their parents die. Although they're twins, they're as different as night and day. When they leave foster care, they go their separate ways, only talking once a year on their birthdays.
After a tragic accident, John seizes the opportunity to become his brother. After all, his brother is highly successful and an upstanding citizen.
The "trading places" plot never gets old, and this novel is no exception. The author does an excellent job of characterizing twin brothers who are worlds apart. This is an enjoyable book and a great start to a series.
First time reading this author and I really enjoyed it. Starts with a troubled young man calling his twin brother for his help. As the pages of the book are turning you find out that the troubled young man gets himself in over his head because of the choices he made. Never would have guessed how this turns out in the end and the plot thickens I presume in the next book. Will get the next one for sure.
Becoming Saint Peter is a great thrilling mystery book. It's wonderful to find a book that peaks your interest, that is a great page turner and you will not want to set the book down until you read it all. I had sleepless nights not wanting to put it down and sleep. You will enjoy this 1st book in the series. The Author has more books out and it is a pleasure to read his work.
I received this book as an ARC from the Author for an honest review.
What an exciting read. John takes on the role of his twin brother Peter, who is killed in an accident whilst they are both in the car. At times I felt John would be out of his depth, but the reality was the caring nature he brought to the table. The money business they are in, is almost like reading an article in the paper about real life underhand dealings. A must read. Concise action and plots. I cannot wait for future works by Hamish Hudson, who was a new author to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Written like a Brit middle schooler. How a publisher actually didn't toss this after 15 pages is inexplicable. Only positive is that it was free and a small waste of time. Inconsistent prose with continual repetition of actions and completely unrealistic characters. One of the 3 worst reads of my life. Would rather be stranded on a deserted island with Atlas Shrugged....
This story of sibling rivalry takes a pretty unique direction and then takes it’s reader on a wild ride. You cannot help but feel for John Black and what he put up with from his brother Peter as they were growing up, and then when they are reunited as adults you can’t help but hate Peter. I would love to see what Mr. Hudson has in store for this series and Saint Peter going forward.
Sometimes getting what you think you want isn't what you thought it was. A shorter story for those times when you don't have hours free. Can money buy happiness, is money the root of all evil or is evil the root of all money? How much does genetics play in a person make-up, can you inherit an evil gene? Join Jack as he struggles to find out.
A story about twins with two very different personalities. They are involved in a car accident that kills one of the twins. The surviving twin, John decides to take on his brother, Peter’s life since he life is tanking. What de doesn’t realize is that his brother’s life is not what it seems. Engaging!
A good read but with the main character an unbelievable substitute for his twin. Not my normal choice of genre as there were not enough scary, heart thumping and explicit details in the storyline. If you like an easy read that doesn't keep you guessing what's going to happen next, then you'll probably enjoy this book.
How far would you go to have the life you’ve always dreamed of? To have the life your TWIN has. Well that’s part of what the author is going to put you through. There’s so many twists and turns, it’s hard to catch a breath. A very good read.
Having been born and raised for the first 20 years in Springburn I was curious about this novel but was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy in this book but what an exceptionally good story with many twist and turns exceptional story and can not wait to download the rest of this exceptional story
The style of the writer is solid, I liked how he evolve the story. I didn't enjoy the story itself because it is really not my style but didn't want to leave it in the middle of the book.
Story flows smoothly. Great idea for a story, taking over your brother's life. Kept me entranced from beginning to end. I'm definitely going to continue reading the rest of the series.
Becoming Saint Peter by Hamish Hudson had me turning the pages at a very fast rate. Hamish Hudson is a first time read for me and will not be the last. Action, suspense in a cut throat business world. A brilliant read, loved it!!
I read the entire story in one day, kind of. I kept reading until I finished the book. Now it’s 4am I have just finished the story and are finally going to bed. I don’t remember the last time a story had me so enthralled. This is a must read.